Amenity Forum welcomes glyphosate licence renewal

The Amenity Forum, the UK organisation that promotes best practice in amenity pesticide use, has welcomed the decision by the European Union to renew the licence for glyphosate for five more years.

Glyphosate is a herbicide so pervasive that its residues were recently found in 45 per cent of Europe’s topsoil. It can also be found in several products that are used by greenkeepers on golf courses.

Professor John Moverley, independent chairman of the Amenity Forum, said: ‘’It is an important active ingredient used in the amenity sector and has been proved to be safe to use following extensive analysis and review. We always advocate an integrated approach to weed control utilising all methods available: cultural, biological, mechanical and chemical. However glyphosate remains in many situations the most cost effective and efficient method ensuring safe, healthy and sustainable amenity spaces and sports surfaces.’’

Peter Corbett, Rigby Taylor’s chemicals product manager, added: “The loss of this important active would have cost local authorities many hundreds of millions of pounds to replace with alternative means of vegetation control.

“The industry now needs to take on board the importance of using this active ingredient correctly and in a sustainable manner.”

He added that Rigby Taylor is working on a product stewardship package for glyphosate, which will detail how to use it correctly.